Davenport.



R. V. SUTHERLAND & S. G. SMITH.

DAVENPORT.

. I APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. 917.

1 60,988. Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I lal 2 fag? E E i -18 1/ y j 9 54 v R. V. SUTHERLAND & S. G. SMlTH.

DAVENPORT. APPLICATIONFILED FEB.,20, 19H- Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS- SHEET 2- //2 Men fol s land m obs/fl; Saf/I ROBERT V. SUTHEBLAND AND STANLEY G. SMITH, 0F GRAND RAPID$, MICHIGAN; SAID SUTHERLANID ASSIGNOR OF HIS ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM F. FREEMAN, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

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Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

Application filed February 20, 1917. Serial No. 149,737.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT V. SU'rHnR- LAND and STANLEY G. SMITH,.citizens of the United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Davenports; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a davenport and has for its objectand purpose the provision in a device of this kind of many new and useful features ofconstruotion and operation through which the davenport may when folded be used as a couch or settee or, when unfolded, as a bed or the like, the invention consisting in novel constructions for the operation of the folding and unfolding of the davenport sections, the raising and lowerlng of the under section as the device is made to serve the purpose of a bed or settee, and in a novel mechanism which looks and holds the parts frictionally in place to whatever position moved, the frictional locking means being included in the mechanism for the operation of the davenport. Many other features of novelty not specifically enumerated will be disclosed in the following description of our invention, reference being hadto the accompanying drawingsin which, Figure 1 is a partial sectional and plan view of the davenport in unfolded position when it is used as a bed.

Fig. 2 is an end view, certain of'parts being broken away and shown in section to better disclose the invention.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the davenport in its unfolded condition parts at one end being brokenaway and shown in section.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the construction shown in Fig. 3 with parts again broken away and inlseotion to disclose the structure.

'Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation similar to Fig.4: illustrating a slight modification in structure. a

Fig. 6 is a side view of a stirrup comprising a detail of construction and,

Fig.7 is a partial sectional and side view of another stirrup which is also used.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The davenport includes a back 1 and ends 2 supported by the usual legs and casters. The back 1 at its upper front portion is provided with the usual cushion 8. Each of the sides 2 adjacent its front end carries a vertical rack a with which a gear 5 meshes, this gear being of a combined spur and worm type. The gears are mounted loosely at the ends of a rod 6 which extends the full length of the davenport and is bent clownwardly at its central portion as shown. A lower frame 7 is located between the ends 2 from the under side of which adjacent its rear side at each end a diagonal brace 8 extends downwardly and forwardly, said braces connecting at their front ends to the lower ends of posts 9 slidahly mounted adjacent the front end of each side 2 and at their upper ends hung on the ends of the rod 6. In the normal positionof the frame 7 its rear side may rest upon shoulders 10 formed in the back 1. This frame at its upper side carries a mattress section 11 which is supported bycoil springs 12. Plates 13 are secured at the upper front corners on the ends of the frame 7 and may be connected to the rod 6 adjacent its ends for the support ofthe front end of the frame. A second frame li carrying a mattress on its under side with a plurality of coil springs 16 interposed between the mattress and the outer and upper cover is connected at its lower front corners to plates 17 cast integral withthe gears 5. Two stirrups 18 are loosely mounted and depend from the ends of the rod 6 each being formed with spaced apart journals 19 between which a worm 20 is located, each worm being fixed on the end of a shaft 21 which has bearing in the j ournals 19. These shafts, one at each end of the davenport, extend upwardly and rear- Wardly to a point above a shaft 22 suitably mounted, in the modification shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and 4, between brackets 23 fixed at each end of the davenport, the shaft extending the full length of and through the back section 1. Spiral gears are secured at the ends of shaft 22 and a stirrup 25 is likewise loosely mounted at each end of the shaft 22 having spaced apart journals 26 through which the upper and rear end of shaft 21 passes. A spiral gear 27 is splined on the shaft between the journals 26 and meshes with gear 23. The rear end of each shaft 21 is squared, adapting it to receive a crank 28 for the operation thereof and to eliminate friction as much as possible one of the journals 26 has rollers 29 therein as shown in 27 against which shaft 21 bears.

In 7 the slightly modified construction shown in Fig. 5 the shaft 22 is movable with respect to the back 1 or what may be termed floating and the stirrups 25 are fixed thereon, the spiral gears 27 between the journals 26 of the stirrups also being fixed to the shaft. The rear end of the shaft 21 rests upon rollers 30 as shown.

With the parts as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, to unfold the davenport, the shaft 21 at either end of the davenport is turned by the crank 28 or in any other suitable manner whereupon gears 5 are rotated and simultaneously climb the racks 4. As the upper frame 14 is permanently connected to the gears it swings about the rod 6 as an aXis through an angle of substantially 180 degrees and to the position shown in Fig. 2. The lower frame 7 at the same time is elevated by reason of the elevation of rod 6, and the connection of the frame as described to said rod, and in whatever position the shaft 21 is left the friction between the worms 20 and the gears 5 serve to lock the parts against free return movement. The

davenport unfolded presents the mattresses 11 and 15 in the same horizontal plane and on the upper side of frames 7 and 1st. On account of the elevation of the front ends of shaft 21 it will be clear that the rear ends of these shafts are moved rearwardly and in the modification shown in Fig. 5 the entire construction consisting of shaft 22 stirrups 25 and the various spiral gears moves rearwardly with the shafts 21 while in the modifications shown in Figs. 2 and 4 shafts 21 move to the rear through the journals 26 and the spiral gears 27.

To support the frame 14: when it is turned into the position shown in Figs. -1 and 2, a leg 30 is provided at each end ofthe frame and pivotally connected thereto. A coil spring 31 is interposed between each standard and the frame the tendency of which is to fold the leg upwardly in the position against the end of said frame. A link 32 is connected to each leg 30 a short distance from its pivot and lies along side the end of the frame at its rear end connecting to a short link 33, which as it passes over a stop 3 1 formed in the end 2 of the davenportby cutting away portion of the end above the top is forced to occupy the position shown in Fig. 2 automatically throwing the leg at each end to its upright position. When the upper frame or section of the davenport is returned to its original position after the link 33 passes the stop it may and easy in its action. By this construction it is possible to use regular coiled springs for the support of the mattresses and as the cushioning means for the seat of the davenport. Our invention as described is a practical embodiment thereof but we wish it understood that it is not the only embodiment of the invention and we consider ourselves entitled to all modifications which fall within the spirit of the appended claims defining the invention.

We claim:

1. A davenport including aback and two end members, a rack mounted vertically at the front of each end member, upper and lower frames positioned between the end members, a rod extending lengthwise of the davenport back of the racks, gears mounted at the ends of the rod and meshing with said racks, a plate integral with each gear secured at each end of the upper frame, means for suspending the lower frame from said rod, and means for operating the gears.

2. A davenport including a back and two end members, a rack mounted vertically at the front of each end member, upper and lower frames positioned between the end members, a rod extencnng lengthwise of the davenport back of the racks, gears mounted adjacent the ends of the rod and meshing with said racks, a plate on each gear secured to each end of the upper frame, a post suspended from each'end of the rod, a brace connected to the lower end of each post and extending upwardly andto the rear and attached at its rear end to the lower frame, means for supporting the lower frame at the front at each end on said rod,

the front of each end member, upper and lower frames positioned between the end members, a rod extending lengthwise of the davenport back of the racks, a plate on each gear secured to each end of the upper frame, means for suspending the lower frame from the rod, a shaft, a driving member meshing with each gear, a shaft at each end of the davenport on which said driving members are mounted and means connecting said shafts for driving said gears in unison with the turning of either shaft.

1. A davenport including a back and two end members, a rack mounted vertically at the front of each end member, upper, and

lower frames positioned between the end pending the lower frame from said rod, gears mounted at the ends of the rod and meshing with the racks, a connection be tween each gear and the upper frame, a stirrup loosely mounted adjacent each end of the rod, hearings in the stirrup, a shaft mounted at its front end in said bearings, a worm on each shaft meshing with the adjacent gear, said shaft extending rearwardly, a shaft positioned lengthwise of the davenport at the back thereof, and gearing connections between said last mentioned shaft and said first shafts for driving all of the shafts and gears in unison.

5. A davenport including two spaced apart end members, a rack mounted vertically adjacent the front of each end member, upper and lower frames positioned between the end member, a rod extending lengthwise of the davenport back of the racks, a gear mounted at each end of the rod and meshing with said racks, means for suspending the lower frame on and back of said rod, and means for operatively connecting the upper frameto the gears to thereby turn said gears as said upper frame is swung from between the end members to a position in front thereof.

6. A davenport including two spaced apart end members, a rack mounted vertically adjacent the front of each end member, upper and lower frames positioned be tween the end members, a rod extending lengthwise of the davenport back of the racks, a gear mounted on each end of the rod in mesh with said racks, means for holding the gears in mesh with the racks, means for suspending the lower frame on said rod and holding'it in horizontal position, and means for operatively connecting the upper frame to the gears to turn the same as said upper frame is swung from between the end members to a position in front thereof.

7. A davenport including two spaced apart end members, a rack mounted vertically adjacent the front of each end member, upper and lower frames located between the end members, a gear in mesh with each rack, means for connecting said gears to the ends of said upper frame adjacent the front lower corners thereof, and means to suspend the lower frame adjacent the front upper corners thereof below the upper frame and operatively connect it with the gears whereby it will move upwardly or downwardly as the gears traverse the racks in upward or downward directions.

8. A construction as claimed in claim 5 combined with means for holding the gears in mesh with the rods, including posts depending one from each end of the rod, guides on each end member with which said posts engage to hold the same against forward or backward movements, and a brace extending rearwardly from the lower end of each post to and connecting with said lower frame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

ROBERT V. SUTHERLAND. STANLEY G. SMITH.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. 0. 

